Czech Republic - Norway, tenth game.
The pre-match ceremony includes the introduction of the Czech national team players and the decoration of individual team members with original gifts. The moderator does not announce any names and the full hall applauds the Czech national anthem. However, most of the spectators' attention is focused on lane D, where a fierce duel between the Italians and the Swiss will take place. The Americans and the Germans are on the C-track and the Asian derby is on the A-track. The Czechs gained the last stone advantage in the first end thanks to an excellent Last Stone Draw. The opening belongs to the hits, but the Norwegians make the first mistake and the Czechs tighten the end to deuce. The highlight, however, is a six by the Koreans after a great double take out by Skip Park. In the third end both teams struggle with the in-turn side and make minor or major mistakes. It's nearing the halfway point and only the Asians have almost decided the match, the rest is even or close. The Norwegians play the fifth end with three men (one of the Ramsfjells is injured in a fall to the ice) and pay hard for it with a cashed-in four "to the locker room", by the way Bendik's fall was one of several I saw here and it's confirmation that the ice is frosted and icy in some places. The Norwegians forced a substitution and with Naess on the two they cut the difference to two points, but we are up by four again. On the C, Shuster cuts the weakly playing Germans 10:2 after eight ends. The only even match is the one that most of the spectators came here for today, the Swiss are a hair better off and, world wonder, the Japanese are only a point down after eight ends, but time is running out. The Norwegians manage to level the score and so we go into the tenth end with the advantage, the Swiss are in the same position in their match. Lukas plays his deuce move accurately and the Czechs win, taking their fourth win. The Asian derby goes to the extra end!! And on the deke, the Italian gets the last end with no advantage and wins.